Captive cap assembly



March 8, 1965 s. BUQNQ ETAL 3,239,096

CAPTIVE CAP ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l BY KW 9% *KMATTORNEYS March 8, 1966 s, BUONO ET AL 3,239,096

CAPTIVE CAP ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS-ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,239,096 CAPTIVE CAP ASSEMBLY Frank S.Buono, Garfield, and Stefan A. Bloom, Parsippany, N.J., assignors toBecton Dickinson and Company, East Rutherford, N.J., a corporation ofNew Jerse y Filed Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 413,686

7 Claims. (Cl. 220--38.5)

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improvedcaptive cap assembly capable of use in numerous different associations,but primarily intended to be employed in the sealing of fluid containerssuch as enema administration sets, vaginal irrigation sets, urinarydrainage systems and the like.

By means of present teachings a closure is provided which may be eitherof the screw-on or plug-in type. Both present disadvantages. If they arenot self-retaining, ie have means for retaining the closure assemblythereof to the receptacle when in open position, then it is necessary toremove the cap or the closure from the receptacle and either place it onsome surface or hold it while manipulating the receptacle during theinlet or outlet of fluid therefrom. Obviously, the latter is cumbersomeand the former is frequently unsanitary. Furthermore, if it is a captivecap assembly and therefore is self-retaining, then the closure portionfrequently interferes with the passage of fluid into and out of thecontainer. In this regard the retaining means serve only to keep the capor closure member attached to the container. Thus, the closure memberwill frequently create problems by interfering with the introduction orthe passage of fluid into or out of the container, bringing about a veryunsatisfactory device. In addition, if the closure member is of theplug-in type, quite frequently it will not remain in the closed positionbut may tend to pop out of its placement in the container.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved captive capassembly for a fluid container which is selfretaining and thusunnecessary to remove from the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selfretaining captivecap assembly which may be releasably locked in an open position suchthat the cap or closure portion thereof will be retained in a positionfree from interference with the passage of liquid into or out of thefluid container.

It is a further object to provide a one piece flexible captive capassembly, simple to use and economic to manufacture.

Another object of our invention is the provision of means for releasablylocking the closure member in its fitting, thus preventing it frompopping out of place.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is now had to theattached sheets of drawings illustrating practical embodiments of theinvention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a container with the captive cap attachedthereto in the closed position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a container having the captive cap attachedthereto in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a view from above in the direction of the arrows as indicatedby the numerals 3-3 in FIG. 1 showing the captive cap in the closedposition;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the cap in closedposition;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the captive cap assembly in cross sectionas shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view of the cap assembly from above taken along the lines 66in the direction of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view of the cap assembly from the side "ice taken along thelines 7-7 in the direction of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the preferred form of the captive cap assemblyunattached to the container.

In the various views the numeral 10 indicates a container such as thatmentioned above. In this particular case, a vaginal irrigation set isthe subject of the application for our improved captive cap assembly.The container 10 is provided with an open ended tubular neck 11 to aidin the passage of fluid into and out of the body.

A captive cap assembly 12 is provided to keep fluid in the receptacle orto permit the passage of fluid therefrom. This unique assembly has aclosure member 13 for removable application to the open end of thetubular neck. A flexible hinge strap 15 connects the closure member witha retaining ring 16. The ring is constructed and arranged with respectto the neck 11 such that it has a size and configuration to snuglysurround and attach thereto. Thus, the retaining ring in its snugattachment around the neck of the container maintains the closure membercaptive so that it may be shifted between a closed position insuperposed aligned position with the retaining ring 16, as shown in FIG.4, to an open position offset to one side of the ring, as shown in FIGS.2, 5 and 6. Latching means are provided for releasably holding theclosure 13 in open position offset to one side of the retaining ring 16free from interference with the flow of fluid into and out of thecontainer. In the preferred form of our invention, the latching meansare comprised of a stud 17 having an enlarged head 18 formed integrallywith the retaining ring and projecting outwardly therefrom and a flange19 having a cooperable opening 20 therein formed integrally with theclosure member 13. The head portion 18 of the stud 17 is inserted bymanipulation of the closure member into the cooperable opening 20 of theflange 19 of said closure member where it will be releasably retained inopen position.

The flange 19 of the closure member 13 also serves an additionalfunction. It serves as a tab which may be grasped and utilized as an aidin removing the closure member from the tubular neck. The advantage ofthis arrangement is that of stability during opening. Tab 25 may be heldwith the left hand in conjunction with bag opening to orient bag openingduring filling or emptying. Tab 25 also aids in the placement or removalof the retaining ring 16 on the tubular neck. Both these flanges may beintegrally formed with their respective members.

The closure assembly may be of various types designed to bring abouteffective sealing of the receptacle. However, we prefer a closure memberhaving plug and head portions. The plug portion 21 may be removablyinserted into the neck 11 of the container 10. In addition, the headportion 22 is of a circumferential configuration, and has a dependingperipheral flange 23, the purpose of which will be later explained. Itcan be seen thusly that the closure assembly is inserted plug portionfirst into the tubular neck of the container.

Also, in the preferred form of our invention, the hinge strap orattachment means 15 is of a bifurcated configuration 24. It extends fromand is formed integrally with the retaining ring 16. The projecting stud17 is located between the ends of the bifurcated portion 24, extendslaterally from the retaining ring and is formed integrally therewith.This arrangement facilitates the ease of placement of the closure member13 to an open position. Thus the closure may be placed in a raisedposition on the laterally extending stud 17 of the retaining ring,again, as shown in FIG. 2. I

The manner of attachment of the retaining ring to the tubular neck ofthe receptacle is also significant. The ring 16 as hereinbeforementioned should be of a size and configuration such that it snuglyattaches around the neck 11 of the container. The neck may be made of arelatively flexible material. With this arrangement it is possible tolock the closure member in the closed position. When the retaining ringis positioned on the tubular neck of the container and the closuremember is placed in the closed position by inserting the plug portionthereof in superposed relationship with the ring, the closure mem berwill be releasably locked in position by the engagement of the ring andthe outer surface of the tubular neck. Therefore, not only does the ringserve to retain the closure member in a captive position withrelationship to the container, but it also serves to develop therequired interference between the plug and the fitting to therebyreleasably lock the closure member in closed position. To release theclosure from this locked position, it is only necessary to slide theretaining ring away from the head portion of the closure member. Ifadditional interference is desired, the plug portion 21 may be taperedoutwardly towards the head portion so as to increase the engagementbetween the ring and the neck portion of the container.

As mentioned above, we prefer to have the closure member 13 comprised ofa plug portion 21 and a circumferential head portion 22 having adepending peripheral flange 23. In providing for a head portion having aconfiguration of this type, the danger of direct bacterial fallout onthe intersection of the end of the plug fitting and the inner parallelportion of the plug is substantially eliminated. Thus, the head portionserves as an anticontamination shield.

The captive cap assembly is preferably made in one piece of flexibleresilient plastic material, such as polypropylene, polyethylene,polyvinyl acetate, ethyl vinyl acetate or polyvinyl chloride. It may beinjection molded.

It will be thus seen that we have provided an improved captive capassembly which can be employed with fluid containers and which is simpleto use and economic to manufacture. It may be releasably locked in anopen position, free from interference with the passage of fluid into andout of the container and also releasably locked in a closed position.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specificallyaforenoted are achieved. Obviously, several changes in construction andrearrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. An improved captive cap assembly for use with a container having anopen ended tubular neck, said assembly comprising: a closure member forremovable application to the open end of the neck, a retaining ring forattachment around the neck of the container to retain the assembly inposition, a flexible hinge strap integrally connected between theclosure member and the retaining ring for holding the closure membercaptive so that it can be shifted between a closed position insuperposed aligned position with the retaining ring and an open positionoffset to one side of the ring and cooperable latching means formed onsaid retaining ring and closure member respectively for releasablyholding the closure member in open position and offset to one side ofthe retaining ring, said assembly being formed in one piece of flexible,resilient plastic material.

2. An improved captive cap assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which thelatching means comprises a projecting stud having an enlarged headintegrally formed with the retaining ring and a flange having acooperable opening for engagement with the stud integrally formed withthe closure member.

3. A improved captive cap assembly as set forth in claim 2 in which thehinge strap has a bifurcated portion extending integrally from theretaining ring and the projecting stud is located between the ends ofsaid bifurcated portion extending integrally from said retaining ring.

4. An improved captive cap assembly for use with a container having anopen ended tubular neck, said assembly comprising: a closure member forremovable application to the open end of the neck including a plug and acircumferential head portion having a depending peripheral flange, aretaining ring of a size and configuration to snugly attach around theneck of the container to retain the assembly in position, a fllexiblehinge strap integrally connected between the closure member and theretaining ring for holding the closure member captive so that it can beshifted between a closed position in superposed aligned position withthe retaining ring and an open position otfset to one side of the ring,a projecting stud having an enlarged head integrally formed with theretaining ring and a flange having a cooperable opening for engagementwith the stud integrally formed with the closure member for releasablyholding the closure member in open position offset to one side of theretaining ring.

5. An improved captive cap assembly for use with a container having aflexible open ended tubular neck, said assembly comprising: a closuremember for removable application to the open end of the neck including aplug and circumferential head portion having a depending peripheralflange, a retaining ring of a size and configuration to snugly attacharound the neck of the container to retain the assembly in position, aflexible hinge strap integrally connected between the closure member andthe retaining ring for holding the closure member captive so that it canbe shifted between a closed position in superposed aligned position withthe retaining ring, and an open position offset to one side of the ring,said closure member being releasably locked in closed position by theengagement of the ring and the tubular neck, a projecting stud having anenlarged head integrally formed with the ring and a flange having acooperable opening for engagement with the stud integrally formed withthe closure member for releasably holding the closure member in openposition offset to one side of the retaining ring.

6. An improved captive cap assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidplug portion is tapered outwardly towards said head portion so as toincrease the engagement between the ring and neck portion of thecontainer when said closure member is in the closed position.

7. An improved container and captive cap assembly comprising: acontainer having a flexible open ended tubular neck, a captive cap onthe container comprising a closure member for removable application tothe open end of the neck including a plug and circumferential headportion having a depending peripheral flange, a retaining ring on saidneck and being of a size and configuration to snugly attach around theneck of the container to retain the assembly in position, a flexiblehinge strap integrally connected between the closure member and theretaining ring for holding the closure member captive so that it can beshifted between a closed position in superposed aligned position withthe retaining ring, and an open position offset to one side of the ring,said closure member being releasably locked in closed position by theengagement of the ring and the tubular neck, said cap having aprojecting stud having an enlarged head integrally formed with the ring,and a flange having a cooperable opening for engagement with the studand being integrally formed with the closure member for releasablyholding the closure membr in open position offset to one side of theretaining ring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,316,309 9/1919Knaster.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

J. B. MARBERT, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN IMPROVED CAPTIVE CAP ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A CONTAINER HAVING ANOPEN ENDED TUBULAR NECK, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A CLOSURE MEMBER FORREMOVABLE APPLICATION TO THE OPEN END OF THE NECK, A RETAINING RING FORATTACHMENT AROUND THE NECK OF THE CONTAINER TO RETAIN THE ASSEMBLY INPOSITION, A FLEXIBLE HINGE STRAP INTEGRALLY CONNECTED BETWEEN THECLOSURE MEMBER AND THE RETAINING RING FOR HOLDING THE CLOSURE MEMBERCAPTIVE SO THAT IT CAN BE SHIFTED BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION INSUPERPOSED ALIGNED POSITION WITH THE RETAINING RING AND AN OPEN POSITIONOFFSET TO ONE SIDE OF THE RING AND COOPERABLE LATCHING MEANS FORMED ONSAID RATAINING RING AND CLOSURE MEMBER RESPECTIVELY FOR RELEASABLYHOLDING THE CLOSURE MEMBER IN OPEN POSITION AND OFFSET TO ONE SIDE OFTHE RETAINING RING, SAID ASSEMBLY BEING FORMED IN ONE PIECE OF FLEXIBLE,RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL.